Tag Archive for: Bromsgrove

ES-34R is the one for Bromsgrove School

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ES-34R is the one for Bromsgrove School: The grounds team at Bromsgrove School has chosen the Dennis ES-34R as its first ever battery-powered mower. 

Richard Hare has been the Head Groundsperson at the prestigious Bromsgrove School in Worcestershire for nearly a decade. In his time at the school Richard has overseen many changes and has produced some truly wonderful sports pitches.

ES-34R is the one for Bromsgrove School

ES-34R is the one for Bromsgrove School

Richard is embarking on another exciting chapter at Bromsgrove School as he starts to explore the world of battery-powered equipment.

“The school is committed to change and is pushing for sustainability in a massive way. As the grounds team, we are on a mission to do exactly the same,” he said. “Approximately, 99% of the gardening team’s equipment is already battery-powered and our aim as the grounds department is the same. It is slightly more difficult because the equipment is bigger, but the technology is advancing all the time.”

Richard has already taken the first steps towards replacing all his petrol mowers with electric ones, and it all started with a Dennis ES-34R rotary mower.

“I looked at a few other battery-powered mowers, but I think it was always going to be Dennis,” he said. “I’ve always been a big fan of the equipment from Dennis and SISIS. Personally, I think the two brands have the best machines on the market.

“We started by replacing our Dennis PRO 34R rotary mower for its electric equivalent – the ES-34R. I will say that I love the petrol PRO 34R’s – they are brilliant, but the ES-34R is on another level. It is by far the best mower I have ever used.”

The ES-34R is a 34″ (860mm) battery powered twin blade rotary mower using the latest lithium-ion battery technology. It is ideal for fine turf mowing and cleaning up operations in stadia and training facilities. Utilising the contra rotating hardened steel blades and low chute ensures maximum collection performance.

While allowing ground staff to achieve an aesthetically pleasing appearance and desired playing surface, the E-Series range will also help meet sustainability and environmental initiatives, minimise carbon footprint, emissions, running costs, HAV’s and noise without any range anxiety.

“For a 34-inch mower it is just incredible how easy you can manoeuvre it,” continued Richard. “With it being electric there are less things that can go wrong. We’ve never once had a maintenance issue with it, and we have used it virtually every day since we bought it. It has saved us money on maintenance costs as well.”

ES-34R is the one for Bromsgrove School

ES-34R is the one for Bromsgrove School

Richard also revealed that the ES-34R is just the start of the Dennis electric evolution as he intends on switching his other PRO 34R, and his two G860 and two FT510 cylinder mowers to their electric equivalents.

Oliver Baldi-Turner, a member of the grounds team at Bromsgrove School, provided further insight into how the Dennis ES-34R fits into the maintenance schedule.

“Predominantly, we use it on the cricket square during the summer and on the rugby pitches during the winter months. It is such a quick machine – we can cut a cricket square in both directions in 42 minutes and a rugby pitch in less than 4 hours.

“We can use the ES-34R for about 7 hours before it needs charging. It is such a quick charge too – we put it on charge while we are having lunch and by the time we are finished, it is pretty much fully charged.

“The ES-34R always provides an equally as good cut, if not a better cut, than most cylinder mowers. Also, it works like a vacuum, so it is picking all the debris up as well. It is a highly efficient mower, leaves a brilliant finish.”

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact Dennis 01332 824 777 or visit www.dennisuk.com

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow Dennis on Twitter and Instagram @DennisMowers and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/DennisMowersUK.You can also view the latest Dennis videos by visiting www.youtube.com/DennisMowers

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PRO 34R performs at Bromsgrove School

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PRO 34R performs at Bromsgrove School: Two Dennis PRO 34R rotary mowers are going above and beyond their duties at Bromsgrove School according to head groundsperson Richard Hare.

The prestigious Bromsgrove School in Worcestershire, consisting of a Senior and Prep School, lies in over one hundred acres of grounds with grass pitches galore. As national, county and regional champions in a wide range of sports over the last few years, it is imperative that the School has pitches of the highest standard.

PRO 34R performs at Bromsgrove School

PRO 34R performs at Bromsgrove School

Richard, head groundsperson for the past seven years, is the man tasked with this responsibility. He oversees a team of fifteen multi-skilled members of staff that can lend their hand to any kind of grounds maintenance, whether it be sports pitches, lawns, or any other landscape areas.

When it comes to the sports pitches, the team has recently received a boost after Richard approved the purchase of two new Dennis PRO 34R rotary mowers. Always striving for perfection, he explained the reason behind the purchase.

“We do a lot of work with rotary mowers,” he said. “Previously, we were using 24-inch rotary mowers and it required three of us using them on the pitches. It was taking us a very long time especially when cutting the pitches both ways. I needed something bigger and better and that is why I bought two Dennis PRO 34R’s. They have been an absolute godsend.”

Designed to help groundsmen achieve an aesthetically pleasing appearance and desired playing surface the Dennis PRO 34R is a 34” (860mm) rotary mower ideal for sports pitches and lawns producing the enviable ‘Dennis Stripes’ while a powerful vacuum flow collects debris quickly and efficiently.

The angle of the cutting deck and twin blades can be easily adjusted using a single ‘click adjuster’ ensuring the mower is suitable for changing conditions and meeting groundsmen’s requirements.

“I know most will use the PRO 34R’s for winter pitches, but we cut virtually everything with them, even the cricket squares,” said Richard. “If anyone can tell me the difference in cut between that and a cylinder mower I’d be surprised. The technology used by Dennis is incredible – they are superb machines.

PRO 34R performs at Bromsgrove School

PRO 34R performs at Bromsgrove School

“The PRO 34R’s are used for both pre-match and post-match preparation. They pick absolutely every piece of debris up and because they are bigger and faster than our previous rotary mowers, the job takes less time too.

“I’ve been quick to recommend the mowers,” continued Richard. “We do a lot of work for a local cricket club, and they were looking for a mower and I recommended the PRO 34R.

They took my advice and bought one and they are absolutely loving it. They said it has made a real difference.

“There are of course lots of other options when it comes to rotary mowers, but I just like Dennis. The machines have always performed and have been reliable – it is as simple as that.”

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact Dennis 01332 824 777 or visit www.dennisuk.com

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow Dennis on Twitter or Instagram @DennisMowers and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/DennisMowersUK You can also view the latest Dennis videos by visiting www.youtube.com/DennisMowers

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

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Confidence is high at Bromsgrove

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Confidence is high at Bromsgrove: Head groundsperson Richard Hare, has reported excellent results from using a selection of Limagrain products at the outstanding Bromsgrove School in Worcestershire.

Founded in the Middle Ages, Bromsgrove is one of the country’s largest independent schools with a glowing reputation for both academic and sporting excellence. Astonishingly, given the size of it, you can drive through Bromsgrove town and not even see the School. How is this possible? Well, according to most, Bromsgrove keeps one hundred acres of secrets from a casual visitor, hidden like a vast walled garden – and this is where Richard Hare comes in.

Confidence is high at Bromsgrove

Confidence is high at Bromsgrove

Richard is responsible for the all the sports pitches and green spaces across the School’s three sites and leads a team of 15 members of staff consisting of groundspersons and gardeners. Depending on the term, the team maintains an array of pitches, which includes rugby, football, hockey and cricket. However, with such a busy schedule it leaves a tight window for renovations.

“The winter renovation work takes place during the school Easter holidays,” said Richard. “As part of this renovation, we will over-seed all the grass areas with a Limagrain winter sports mix. We carry out the cricket renovations after the cricket festivals which finish the second week of August. The rugby pre-season training starts the last week of August.”

It is during this period that Richard relies on a range of Limagrain UK’s grass seed which includes the headline mixture MM50 for his cricket wickets. Over recent years, Limagrain’s MM50 has been the number one choice for cricket groundsmen. Those representing grass roots, schools, local clubs and international test venues have all benefited from using MM50. This hard-wearing mix has rapid germination, very fine leaved appearance, high shoot density and is tolerant to very close mowing, along with high disease resistance. All these attributes together produce a fantastic sward that has great colour all year round.

“I buy seed from Limagrain UK which covers all the grass areas for cricket and rugby,” continued Richard. “Grass seed, as anyone will tell you, is a massive investment and I can’t afford to apply that amount of grass seed and just hope that it will work. I need to have the confidence that it will germinate especially as we have such a small renovation window. I have that confidence with Limagrain and that is why I have used the seed for so long.

“We don’t have irrigation on all the pitches, and we don’t get a lot of rain in August and it still germinates. We always get great coverage.”

Grass seed aside, Richard also revealed that some of the School’s most aesthetically pleasing areas are thanks to Limagrain UK’s Colour Splash mixtures.  Over the past few years, these flower mixtures have been used in a broad range of landscape and amenity areas throughout the UK. The range has a floral arrangement for every requirement – whether it be a golf course, a local authority green space or any other establishment that has an area which needs brightening up.

The Colour Splash range of mixtures are extremely easy to sow and the resulting vigorous plants are more than capable of competing with weeds. Their vigour is equally matched by robustness; resisting long periods of drought. They are also fast flowering and cost effective.

Confidence is high at Bromsgrove

Confidence is high at Bromsgrove

“We use the Colour Splash mixtures in eight different areas around the School,” said Richard. “The main reason for applying these mixtures was because I wanted to create some wildlife friendly areas. The School and the students have really bought into it and the areas look absolutely stunning – we are always getting nice comments from teachers, pupils and parents.

“Also, we find that these areas are helping us to save on fuel and man hours too because previously they needed cutting and looking after regularly. Now, we just cut the areas and reseed once a year – that is all they need. We just seem to be adding more and more of these Colour Splash areas all the time.”

Richard was also quick to praise the support from both Limagrain and Agrovista Amenity – the company he purchases the seed from.

“I always have good conversations with Mark Allen (Agrovista Amenity) and Matt Gresty (Limagrain UK) and they will come in and help us in any way they can. The advice has been invaluable at times.”

For further information, please contact Limagrain UK on 01472 371471 or visit the company’s website www.lgseeds.co.uk/amenity – you can also follow the company on Twitter: @MM_Seed

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